Search

There’s a type of commercial that really annoys me. Wait, let me rephrase that. Most commercials annoy me, but I can live with being regarded as :

a) stupid, as advertisers need to aim at the average viewer
b) looking for a solution as offered by the product

Of course, there is a huge chance I don’t need the product you’re advertising for, but as long as you assume I might need it one day and you explain to me how your stuff works, we’re okay. If you would ever regard me as ignorant, I’m not amused. Unfortunately, nobody cares what I think. Nowaday’s, there is a trend towards a documentary style commercial that assumes people are ignorant. Really ignorant. The following commercial is the best example of this. It’s in Dutch, but don’t worry, you’ll catch my drift anyway.

These people are being interviewed on how they handle their savings. Of course, it’s a commercial, so I know these aren’t real interviews. What bugs me, however, is how they are trying to fool me. Every couple that’s being interviewed is in a setting that feels awkard. The first couple is in bed. Call me conservative, but what people do in their bed is completely their business. If they choose to spend their pillow talk time on banking, that’s their problem. What creepy bank has a camera pointed at my cuddle time? I’m not relating to these exhibitionists, folks.

It gets worse with the second couple, driving a car. The man, who is being asked on his savings, reacts surprised. He probably thought the camera crew was merely hitchhiking and now looking for an interesting topic to talk about. I get the interview style, but why interview someone who is not prepared, taking total strangers in his car and have the camera crew disappear as another camera drives by? What’s the message, guys? I thought this was a serious interview. Let me remind myself to pick a bank for my savings account that lets me mind my own business.

Now, who talks like that about their intimate hygiene? I know someone, but that’s besides the point here. These have to be worst type of commercials around. They always feature a happy woman (I understand this part) that for some reason likes to tell her friends how she has found this new, amazing product. You know what? I’ll get one so we can look at it and inspect it’s newest features. After that, we’ll drink coffee, go dance or do something ordinary women on their period could never do. I always wonder: while drinking coffee, are they all wearing this new and exciting product? After the initial woman showed them to her girlfriends, do they try it on? “Would you know, this is helpful when riding a bicycle.” This leads me to my next point: I believe ever since the invention of gym class, girls have been trying to get out of them by either faking or having a period. According to every commercial I see on television, even jumping a trampoline would not be a problem, so I don’t know why you’re still trying that.

My last point about these products: why do they come in a thousand different flavours? I’m still waiting for the first tampon with a touch of cinnamon to be introduced to the market. I’d like to star in that commercial: “Girls, I don’t really know much about what you need, but I want to support you, every day of the month. I’d be even more happy to if you’d start using these. Tampons with a touch of cinnamon. At least us guys get the cinnamon part.” And fade to black.